The Colorado BHA chapter has appointed five new Chapter Leadership Team (CLT) members: Liz Rose, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) State Trust Lands Liaison;[1] Kyle Vistuba, Membership Recruitment Coordinator for the Southeast Group;[2] Drew Trujillo, Southeast Group Sponsorship and Media Coordinator;[3] Elena Reynolds, Assistant Regional Director for the Central Rockies Group;[4] and, Leslie Kaminski, Central West Slope Group Assistant Regional Director.[5]

We currently have 38 CLT members and nine Groups (Boulder County, Northern Colorado, Denver Metro Area, Southeast Colorado, Central Rockies, Gunnison County, Southeast Colorado, Western Colorado, Northwestern Colorado). For additional information see: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/group_leaders. We also have 40 boots-on-the-ground Habitat Watch Volunteers (HWVs) serving as our “eyes and ears” in all eleven Colorado national forests.

A recent “Backcountry Rookies” podcast featured Colorado BHA’s Southeast Colorado Sponsorship and Media Coordinator, Drew Trujillo. Drew tells us the story of his first mule deer and how the lessons he learned over the last few years led to his success. Colorado BHA Gunnison Valley Regional Director, Gabriela Zaldumbide, was one of the College Club Leaders featured in a story by BHA’s Kylie Schumacher (“College Club Leaders Taking the Lead on Recruitment Efforts,” 12/12/19) and Gabriela wrote an article (“R3: Revelations, Relationships, and Reciprocity,” 11/8/19) that was featured in Medium.com.

The Western Colorado University BHA Club was recognized as College Club of the Month for October 2019. As detailed in BHA’s October Backcountry Beat, club leaders and members have been organizing and/or hosting a seemingly non-stop series of events and activities in support of our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.[6]

“We have an outstanding team of hunter-angler-conservationists serving as club officers,” WCU Club president Cody Chandler said. “These outstanding volunteers include Gabby Zaldumbide, Brendan Toft and Nicolas Bequet. Their dedicated leadership, combined with the selfless efforts of our many other volunteers, has turbocharged our work on behalf of wildlands and wildlife.”[7]

“College Clubs are the future of hunting, angling and conservation,” Colorado BHA Co-Chair David Lien (a former Air Force officer) added. “The future of our wilds public lands, waters and wildlife is truly in their hands, and the future looks bright based on what we see these public lands advocates accomplishing here in Colorado and across the country. We need many more like them!”[8]

In addition, Colorado BHA was included in the summary of BHA’s 2019 accomplishments (“Backcountry Hunters & Anglers 2019 Policy Roundup, 12/23/19). As stated therein: “Years of hard work by BHA was recently rewarded in Colorado when the state approved the expansion of public recreational access on 500,000 acres of state trust lands that were previously closed to public use, with 100,000 acres opened immediately to the public in 2019.”

Our annual CLT planning/training meeting will be held during the first quarter of 2020. Co-Chair Don Holmstrom will again lead this effort. Our 12th annual chapter Rendezvous will be the weekend of June 12-14, 2020, in southwest Colorado at the Florida campground Group site near the Lemon Reservoir, where the first Colorado BHA Rendezvous was held in 2009.

[1] “Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Appoint CPW State Trust Lands Liaison.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 10/8/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/colorado_backcountry_hunters_anglers_appoint_cpw_state_trust_lands_liaison

[2] “Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Appoint Southeast Group Leaders.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 10/30/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/colorado_backcountry_hunters_anglers_appoint_southeast_group_leaders

[3] “Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Appoint Southeast Group Leaders.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 10/30/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/colorado_backcountry_hunters_anglers_appoint_southeast_group_leaders

[4] “Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Appoint Two New Group Leaders.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 12/6/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/colorado_backcountry_hunters_anglers_appoint_two_new_group_leaders

[5] “Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Appoint Two New Group Leaders.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 12/6/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/colorado_backcountry_hunters_anglers_appoint_two_new_group_leaders

[6] “Western Colorado University BHA Collegiate Club Recognized.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 12/11/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/western_colorado_university_bha_collegiate_club_recognized

[7] “Western Colorado University BHA Collegiate Club Recognized.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 12/11/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/western_colorado_university_bha_collegiate_club_recognized

[8] “Western Colorado University BHA Collegiate Club Recognized.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 12/11/19. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/western_colorado_university_bha_collegiate_club_recognized